Rose Gold
by Carys Langley
Summary: AU, TezuFuji, Fuji is a mysterious phantom thief with a penchant for beautiful things...too bad Detective Tezuka doesn't know that yet.
1. Chapter I: Courtship

**Rose Gold**

AU, TezuFuji Fuji is a mysterious phantom thief with a penchant for beautiful things...too bad Detective Tezuka doesn't know that yet.

**Disclaimer: **Mine! Mine! Mine! Not.

**A/N: **Plot bunnies strike again! No, but seriously, this was actually one of the ideas off of my bunny list from like eons ago. Rose Gold is sort of my apology for writing so much Pillar Pair in Putting Out Fires, not that I'm bashing Pillar Pair, but it's just not my thing. xD

Rose Gold is set in a Victorian-ish world in a Parisian-ish city, but not really? All the precious jewels and trinkets that were stole/will be stolen in the story aren't really, they're just fancy shmancy names made up by me. Lovre is also made up, it's a big museum or something. So if you have a fancy shmancy name for something you want Fuji to steal, feel free to tell me. I thought the idea of a Phantom Thief!Fuji would be fun, and I haven't seen a fic like this yet, so I'm going to run with it. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

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**Chapter I**

**Courtship**

**-**

* * *

-

It was something like a twisted courtship. Except when two people were courting, you knew who you were courting. Well, that was not the case with Tezuka Kunimitsu (no pun intended.) The young detective had no idea who he was supposedly 'courting.' Or perhaps, it wasn't courting at all. Whatever it was, it was bothersome and he didn't like it.

But his rather persistent suitor didn't seem to think that way. It was a rainy day when a small box of dark silk chocolates and a quaint bouquet of freshly picked wildflowers showed up on his doorstep, along with a vanilla-colored envelope. His name was written on it, a delicate thread of scarlet ink.

_To Tezuka Kunimitsu_

The rain pounded relentlessly and cold pricked his skin. After another moment of thought, Tezuka bent to scoop up the basket and the flowers. He searched around for any sign that his suitor might have left behind, but because rain was both cleansing and muddling, of course he found nothing at all. That, and his suitor probably wasn't someone to be reckoned with.

When he was back inside, he set the flowers into a vase he had just emptied from the last wilted batch. His suitor definitely had a thing for flowers. He put the box of chocolates right next to the vase, and walked a few careful paces to make himself comfortable in an overstuffed armchair. The chair had belonged to his grandfather, not all that long again, and the thick cushions stank permanently of cigar smoke.

Slitting the envelope neatly between his fingers, Tezuka drew out a folded piece of stationary, it smelled faintly of cinnamon.

In the same elegant silk script, Tezuka read:

_**My darling Detective,**_

_**It suddenly occurred to me just how long it has been since our last correspondence, I hope you didn't miss me too much, and I hope also that this letter finds you in good health. The chocolates are, of course, an apology of sorts and even though I know that you don't have much of a sweet tooth, it is my most sincere wish that you enjoy them at your discretion. Furthermore, I figured that the lilacs I sent you must have long since wilted, so I thought daisies would be a fitting replacement—after all, it is almost spring and they are in season.**_

_**However, both you and I know very well why I write to you, before I go on, I must insist that you open the box of chocolates before you read any further. You'll find a nice little something. A gift from me to you.**_

Tezuka put down the letter and glanced with no small amount of apprehension towards the box of chocolates. Finally, curiosity killed the cat and reached for the box with tentative fingers. Unlacing the ribbon, he stopped; and then, with a deep breath, lifted the cover of the box.

There were three rows of satin dark chocolates, and for a moment, as Tezuka stared at them, he wondered if they were poisoned.

He looked to the letter, which warned:

_**Don't eat the chocolate in the third row in the right corner, though, whatever you do.**_

Tezuka's eyes immediately found the chocolate in question. In all honesty, it looked normal enough, but then, perhaps it was just like his suitor to poison one random chocolate and warn him not to eat it. Slowly, he picked up the chocolate and rolled it thoughtfully between his fingers, some half melted cream stained his fingers and instead of a hazelnut center, Tezuka found himself face to face with--

If letters could laugh, Tezuka was quite sure this particular letter would have; however, it settled with a simple taunt.

_**It's a beautiful diamond, isn't it, Detective? It reminds me of you.**_

-

-

"_It couldn't have just walked off on its own!" Shishido Ryou, head of securities of the prestigious Lovre, the biggest museum that housed all kinds of expensive odds and ends in the city, whined for the umpteenth time in the hour. "There are no holes in our security, there is no way that the Diamond of Queen Alexandria could have been stolen! Prior to the arrival of this artifact, I even had our systems upgraded!" _

"_Oh. Well then." Chief Commissioner Atobe Keigo looked at him, and smirked as only Atobe knew how, "...I suppose the diamond grew wings and pushed its way out of its glass display case and--"_

"_Oh, shut up, Atobe."_

_Tezuka watched the exchange. It was almost becoming almost too familiar to him, which was altogether a bad thing. He nodded to Atobe's giant of a guard, Kabaji, and said, "I'm going back in there." _

_'There' was the scene of the crime. Kabaji looked at his boss for approval, but in the midst of his heated banter, all was forgotten. At length, Kabaji gave up and nodded yes. _

_Tezuka stole around Atobe and slipped through the door. The scene of the crime really didn't look like a crime scene at all. Or perhaps it was just that, it was too perfect, exactly how **he** planned it to be._

_In fact, except for the empty glass case, there was nothing else. Tezuka's eyes roamed the room, and spotted a scrap of paper that all of the other officers had oh, so conveniently missed. It was folded into a neat square—as if it was placed there on purpose._

_Without looking at it, Tezuka knew what it was. He picked it up with leaden fingers. The folds in the paper were still fresh. An hour or so ago, **he** had stood there in this very room. Perhaps he had laughed._

_**I got You.**_

-

-

Tezuka's head felt numb, and his thoughts were jumbled into a surprisingly indecipherable mess. The disaster at Lovre had occurred over a week ago, and every major paper in the city was still having a field day.

And now, here Tezuka Kunimitsu was, an officer of the law, holding the Diamond of Queen Alexandria in the palm of his hands, albeit the jewelery was properly smeared in chocolate cream.

He looked to the letter again.

_**It's a beautiful diamond, isn't it, Detective? It reminds me of you. It's brilliant and beautiful just like you. Maybe, it is also just as unattainable. **_

_**If you ever feel the need to return it, I'm at Lovre tonight, if it's not too much trouble, do come alone. You might arrest me if you get lucky. Although I'm definitely of the opinion that you should keep the diamond, but I have a feeling that you won't get my joke...and even if you do get it, you won't find it funny.**_

_**Ever your devoted servant I am**_

_**Your Beloved Phantom**_

Tezuka stared dumbly from the letter to the diamond in his hand. His first instinct was to run far away from it, or bury and hide it some place so that it'd never be found. At least, in his life time. But because Detective Tezuka Kunimitsu was a person eternally plagued by logic, he put down the diamond, wiped his fingers on a napkin and put the letter back into its rightful place inside the envelope.

And then he got up from the armchair and went to the kitchen to fix himself a good, stiff drink. Liquor always helped his judgment...and his stomach.

Elsewhere, the Phantom was laughing.

_**I got You.**_

-

-

He would never admit it, but sometimes, Tezuka wondered about the Phantom. He wondered who the Phantom was, and if the Phantom ever thought to age. To Tezuka, the phantom was an ageless persona. He had dedicated most of his career chasing an oblivious shadow, and he felt old and gray for it. And of course, because the Phantom was an odd piece of work, he was chasing Tezuka right back in his own strange way, and courted him through letters, chocolates, flowers, and now...

A diamond.

And not just any diamond. The Phantom had somehow managed to slip Tezuka a stolen diamond worth twenty fortunes. As much as he loathed to think it, it was just like the Phantom to do something so...whimsical.

Ever since he had started working as a private detective of sorts, the letters had never stopped. The flowers had only stopped once or twice, but the Phantom had apologized in his letter.

_**I couldn't find any flowers beautiful enough. So I sent you extra chocolates, they'll have to do for now. I'll send nice roses as soon as I find some.**_

Tezuka took a long gulp of his gin and the liquor burned all the way down, it felt good. It kept him from thinking about the Phantom, and the diamond glaring at him from the table beside the daisies. Unlike the diamond, though he had never seen the Phantom in the five long years that their courtship persisted, Tezuka thought the Phantom would smile a lot.

Because you'd couldn't very well hide little notes where you knew your 'lover' was going to find them, that said:

_**I got You.**_

And not smile about it.

Tezuka drank more gin.

-

-

Tezuka wondered if he could call Atobe about the diamond and the Phantom's letter. Not that he really answered to Atobe, but every practicing detective in the city, they more or less answered to Atobe. But he had evaded Atobe for five years, he saw no reason to stop now.

Besides, if he let the Chief Commissioner of the entire city know that he had the Alexandria Diamond in his possession, he'd never hear the end of it. But then again, if he somehow didn't come away with arresting the Phantom, he was also going to be in heaps of trouble.

So only one obvious choice remained. There had never been much of a choice to begin with, admittedly, but the gin gave him an excuse, a very good one too. He could very well delude himself into thinking that it was the liquor that made him curious enough to want to meet this Phantom, that it was the liquor that convinced him that he could actually arrest the Phantom on his own.

Liquor was convenient, for a moment, he almost understood the army of drunkards that liked to flood the city. Or maybe Tezuka was hallucinating and that wasn't it at all.

It was all because the Phantom knew just how to tempt fate and decided to remind him, over and over again, through chocolates, roses, daisies, lilacs, and now, a diamond.

_**I got you.**_

Tezuka never had a choice.

But then again, perhaps he'd never wanted one.

-

-

The Lovre was lit, because everyone seemed to have learned their lessons after the diamond and was determined to be ever so vigilant. Even the little ones who had no business with night were determined to stay. Ohtori Chotarou was one of those. Because Tezuka was a detective, he knew everything, and he also knew the not so secret affair that the night janitor boy was carrying on with the head of securities was not the healthiest activity that a person with no future could be partaking in.

"Ohtori, I need to get into the Alexandria room."

Ohtori didn't know any better, "Commissioner Atobe says I'm not allowed to let anyone in there."

Tezuka kept one hand over the pocket of his jacket, where the guilty bump was. "I talked to Atobe already." He said, in a tone that left no room for argument, even though he was lying through his teeth and if Atobe ever found out, his license would have been suspended until kingdom come.

But Ohtori shrugged, "All right then, if he said so."

-

-

The Alexandria room was empty. It hadn't always been the Alexandria room, just a few months ago, the room had housed the architectural work miniatures of some genius. Tezuka wandered around the room once, walking carefully in a circle.

A voice said, "Detective?"

Tezuka froze in his tracks.

The voice was laughing. Tezuka knew without turning around that yes, it was the Phantom. His laugh reminded Tezuka of bells. Still, he didn't move.

"...Phantom?"

"Yes, that's me."

There was a long, long pause, Tezuka finally ventured (rather stupidly, he thought) "I have the diamond."

"Oh?" Phantom was amused. "So you aren't you going to keep it, after all?"

"I don't think I will."

"Shame." Phantom said nothing for a moment, then, "Well, come here and give it to me. If you don't want it, I'll take it back."

Tezuka stared straight ahead, he saw a wall. "Does that mean I can turn around?"

"Of course, if you'd like."

Tezuka never thought much about what Phantom would look like, all his logic told he was that Phantom would smile. The dark figure leaned against the ivory table tracing the case with one finger. A gold-topped cane lay not too far away, one of the most useless accessories in fashion, or so Tezuka thought. Phantom did smile--

"Detective."

Tezuka shook himself. "...Yes?"

"I wonder if you'd do me a favor?"

"Like what?" Tezuka was wary.

"From where you're standing, to where I'm standing." Phantom said, "Will you count out loud every step you take until you reach me?"

Tezuka considered, "Why?"

It was Phantom's turn to considered, but he distracted Tezuka quite nicely by twirling a strand of his bangs around his finger, "I don't know." He conceded at last, "I guess I'm curious. Will you, please, for me?"

_No, not for you_.

But for your eyes. Phantom's eyes were a deep cerulean blue. Tezuka knew if he looked too long, he would most certainly drown in them.

Tezuka sighed, he stepped, "One."

Again, "Two."

Phantom watched him.

-

-

"Sixty-six."

"Wait, stop." Phantom held up a hand.

"What?"

"How far are you from me?"

Tezuka couldn't help but think that maybe something was a little wrong with Phantom. Just a little. Even if Phantom had got to be one of the more genius thieves in the century. He looked at Phantom, "I'm...well, about halfway, more or less."

"I see." Phantom smiled, "...Keep counting."

He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding in. Tezuka took a tentative step, "Sixty-seven."

"Detective."

"Sixty-eight—what?"

Phantom tilted his head thoughtfully, "Why did you come here today?"

"Sixty-nine." Tezuka paused in midstep, "What kind of reason would you like?"

"There's more than one?"

"Yes."

"Well, give them to me in order." Phantom decided after mulling it over, "In the order that you think that I'd want to hear them."

Tezuka stared at him, "Well...I suppose...because I'm curious about you. Also, because I didn't want the diamond on my conscience. And..." He sighed, "I suppose, since I am an upstanding officer of the law, perhaps you'd be a gentleman and keep your promise."

"What promise would that be?" Phantom's smile slipped away into the faintest of smirks.

"Your letter said I would get to arrest you." Tezuka said lamely as he ventured another step, "Seventy."

"No, I didn't." Phantom shook his head, "I said, 'you might arrest me if you were lucky.' And excuse me for saying, but I think today is really not your day, Detective."

Tezuka felt uneasy, "...Why?"

"Because," Phantom was laughing, "I got you."


	2. Chapter II: Welcome to My Humble Abode

**Rose Gold**

AU, TezuFuji Fuji is a mysterious phantom thief with a penchant for beautiful things...too bad Detective Tezuka doesn't know that yet.

**Disclaimer: **Mine! Mine! Mine! Not.

**A/N: **Wow...it feels like it's been a long time since I updated! Sorry about that, a lot of things came up (including quite a hefty dose of writer's block). My hearty thanks for everyone that reviewed chapter one, you guys are the best!! Hopefully you'll enjoy this one too, I enjoyed writing it.

On a side note, is it just me or is FFNet's formatting being really screwy lately?

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**Chapter II**

**Welcome to My Humble Abode**

**-**

When Tezuka came to again, he realized with no small amount of alarm that he was lying in a huge bed made over with layers of different colored silks. He was clothed in a night shirt and flannel trousers that didn't belong to him, and—the most alarming part of all, he was shackled to the bed, by a silver cuff fit snugly around his left wrist, not hard enough to bite, but certainly hard enough to make a presence.

There was also a bump on the back of his head, and it felt swollen when he rubbed it, and it also stung. Tezuka was half expecting his fingers to come away bloody, but they came away dry. That was some cause for relief.

Tezuka rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, He wondered if this was Phantom's own bedroom, because it certainly looked like it. A large decorative chandelier hung overhead, along with a large tapestry of some sort that hung alongside the fixture.

And it was no doubt stolen. In fact, Tezuka wouldn't hesitate much to say that everything in this little abode of Phantom's...was stolen. He seemed altogether too clever, not to use his talents to their full advantage. And suddenly, Tezuka wished he had called Atobe, and suffered a verbal beating, delivered as only his bigheaded superior could. Because then, he wouldn't be in this mess.

He closed his eyes.

Footsteps.

Tezuka opened one eye.

"Ah...so you are awake after all, Detective." The person that stood there at his bedside wasn't Phantom, instead, it was a frail looking boy with amethyst jewels for eyes. With a smile much like Phantom's, only it was much warmer. "How are you feeling?"

Tezuka looked at him, "Who are you?"

"Who I am is of no importance, but if you insist on a name, I won't deny you one." The boy approached the bed and gingerly perched on the edge, far enough away not to touch Tezuka, "My name is Seiichi."

The detective in Tezuka soaked up everything about the way Seiichi limped to him. He limped just so, putting more pressure than necessary on his left foot and dragged his right foot in a way that made Tezuka think that it was once broken, and never put back right. He didn't know if the information was going to be useful later on, but seeing as how he was at a sordid disadvantage at the moment, any information, any hint, any clue, was most welcome.

"Who brought me here?"

"Master Fuji did." Seiichi tilted his head just a little. "He thought you were a jewel, and worth keeping for a little while. I most politely disagreed with him, but it seems that he's too smitten with you to listen to reason."

"Master...Fuji?"

Seichii paused, "Oh, you would know him as the Phantom, Detective. But don't worry, he always makes his visitors feel welcome."

"Is locking them to bed supposed to make them feel welcome?" Tezuka fidgeted for the fist time, for a reason no other than impatience. "If this is a joke, it isn't funny."

The boy didn't seem to understand, he merely smiled again, "Well, I agree that it's really hard for you to find anything amusing in your current situation, but I'm afraid I can't let you go yet." And indeed, he had the decency to sound just slightly remorseful. "I'm supposed to ask you if you wanted breakfast."

"If I said yes, would you let me go?" Tezuka asked, although he already knew what the answer would be.

Seichii considered, "Possibly, would you like breakfast?"

"Yes."

"I'll be right back." With that, Seiichi pushed himself off the bed with some difficulty and limped to the door, "Sit tight."

The door slammed.

Seiichi returned only a moment later, and this time, he had another man with him, Tezuka realized with an almost nauseous jolt that he knew the man, and knew him well. But given the situation he was in, Tezuka wasn't sure whether or not to be glad to see Yamato.

Yamato was an officer that had served as Tezuka's mentor when he had first started out as a rookie in the field. Tezuka had risen far and beyond Yamato in a matter of mere months, and after those few months, no one had ever heard from him again. The details of his disappearance had never been made clear and Tezuka had almost forgotten about him.

It seemed like too rude of an awakening to lie here chained to a bed and rediscover that Yamato was here, rendering his services to the Phantom, all this time.

"He says he wants breakfast, Yamato. Should I give it to him?" Seiichi was talking again.

"What were you told?"

"I was told that if he wanted breakfast, he would be given clothes, and he would dine with Master Fuji." Still, Seiichi looked uncertain. "But I'm wondering if letting him go would be in our best interest. He might run away."

Yamato looked straight at him, and Tezuka looked back. Of course, the older man still wore his trademark lenses, which were dark, and so they told him nothing. He looked back to search for anything familiar about Yamato and found nothing. When Yamato did finally speak, his voice was flat and smooth, the way Tezuka remembered it, "...I don't think he will run away."

"And how would you know?" Seiichi glanced between the two of them.

"Because the Tezuka I know never runs away from anything." Yamato gave a vague half smile. "Am I right, Tezuka?"

Tezuka bit his lip, but he said nothing.

"Yamato, you know him?"

"...Yes, a long time ago, I knew him. But the Tezuka I knew also never changed." Yamato turned away then, "Let him up, Seiichi, and give him clothes like Fuji promised. Take him to breakfast, Fuji will be waiting for him." Without another word, he turned and headed for the door.

Tezuka stared after him, he thought of calling out, but couldn't.

The door closed again.

-

-

Seiichi gave him clothes, albeit rather unwillingly. And on Tezuka's own part, he just as unwilling admitted that the clothing he was given was much nicer than anything he owned—or could ever afford to own. But seeing as how Phantom could get his hands on anything that was anything, stealing a few pieces of clothing that suited his fancy was no big task.

He waited for Seiichi to leave, only the boy showed no signs of wanting to leave—which made everything even more awkward.

But at least it was Seiichi when spoke first, "...Aren't you going to change?"

Which gave Tezuka complete leave to say what he liked, "...I will when you find enough decency to leave."

Seiichi seemed to find this funny, "I can't leave you alone." He said, after he had swallowed his giggle. "I'll turn around though, if you find it so uncomfortable."

Tezuka merely glared at the boy's back.

Something told him that the boy had to be picking up these odd habits from somewhere. And something else told him that Tezuka knew exactly where.

-

-

"Good morning, detective, I trust you slept well? I did go through the trouble of offering my best bed, you know."

The phantom, Fuji stood there, a perfect statue in a perfect archway. Tezuka noticed that he looked right at home in his silk sleepwear and his hair was mussed. One noticeable difference from the Phantom he had seen last night...was that Fuji wore a white half mask that covered him from the mouth up. The smile was unmistakable.

"...Are you a little old for child's play?" Tezuka asked bluntly.

"I _am_ a child, detective." Fuji sounded just a little hurt as his mouth twitched. "I'm still very much of a child. Besides, I can wear what I please."

Seiichi, who stood stubbornly at Tezuka's side, with a hand on his loose sleeve, spoke. As if Tezuka was going to run off the moment he let go. "He says he wants breakfast." As if Tezuka wasn't a person at all. Rather, an irritating little pet begging for attention.

"And he shall have breakfast, Seiichi." Fuji said, "I was about to dine myself, I would be more than happy to have the detective join me."

The same could not be said for Tezuka, and he was sure that his expression said so as much. Seiichi was glaring at him again, but Fuji didn't seem to take notice.

"...You may go, Seiichi, I'll have Yamato with me if I have trouble."

Seiichi hesitated, "But--"

"The detective and I need some time to get acquainted." Fuji cut in smoothly, "If you have so much time on your hands, you can go out to the markets and wander, but make sure to take Sanada with you. He'd keep you out of scrapes."

"I don't get into scrapes." Said Seiichi, somewhat sulkily, but he retreated anyway.

Fuji watched him go, with a shake of his head, "He gets more impossible everyday." But he didn't sound at all bothered about it. He stepped a careful three paces forward and put his hand on Tezuka's shoulder—Tezuka almost flinched.

"You're wearing my clothes." The shorter man sounded immediately amused, if anything.

"I didn't have much of a choice." Tezuka gritted out, as he swatted away Phantom's hand, it was smooth, soft and...cold. "You took away my clothes."

"Well," Fuji offered him a casual shrug with one shoulder, "I had to burn them, they made you look unsightly. Silk makes you look more...what's the word?" He tapped a hand to his lips thoughtfully, "Distinguished."

"...You..._burned_ my clothes?" Tezuka blinked.

"I had to burn them...else you'd never accept my clothes." Fuji took his arm, "Besides, they're from La Viera, what you're wearing. So don't complain."

La Viera was a fashion boutique, well known for being stocked with the latest fashions from all over. Not that Tezuka would ever admit willingly to going there, but Atobe had dragged him there once. He had been so traumatized that he had forgotten the reason for his going altogether. Tezuka glanced down at the silken tunic he wore.

Was it just mere coincidence that the clothes just _happened_ to be a perfect fit?

"Oh, come, detective. There's no use moping about it any." Fuji smiled and nudged him, "They're nice clothes, aren't they?"

"That's besides the point." Tezuka gritted out, wondering if it was really so difficult to get Phantom to follow some sort of logical reasoning. "The point is that you _burned_ my clothes."

"And I reimbursed you with even nicer clothes." Fuji's mouth set in a straight line, "Really, detective, are you _trying_ to put me in a bad mood?"

Tezuka said nothing.

Fuji smiled and squeezed his arm, "Good, good. I thought we'd come to an understanding quick enough. Let's have breakfast."

-

-

Breakfast was served in an extravagant dining room five sizes too big for just two people; however, the Phantom seemed to enjoy theatrics and a huge showing dining room was only to be expected. A silently boy poured him wine. Since Tezuka wasn't much of a connoisseur, he didn't recognize the vintage and only noticed that the wine smelled fragrant.

He was served fresh bread on a silver platter, but Tezuka was so unsettled by the way the Phantom watched him that he realized he couldn't down anything—not even wine.

"What's wrong, detective?"

Tezuka spoke a single word, "Poison?"

Fuji looked surprised, and then he didn't, "...Maybe."

"Phantom--"

"Please, detective, don't call me that." Fuji cut in, with a voice so forlorn that Tezuka was a little surprised. "My name is Fuji, and I want you to call me Fuji."

The phantom wore no smile.

Tezuka swallowed, hard, "Fuji."

Fuji smiled again, "Yes, detective?"

"Is this food poisoned?" Tezuka asked again.

"No." With that, Fuji reached across the table and helped himself to a piece of Tezuka's bread, "I wouldn't have worked so hard to lure you here to my humble abode to do something as stupid as poisoning you, detective. I thought you knew better than that, I'm disappointed in you. Are you enjoying my humble abode thus far, detective?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it a humble abode, Fuji."

The Phantom pouted, "You're so mean, detective." He stood, "But that's all right. You have plenty of time to like me. And I trust that you will like me." He threw a dazzling smile over his shoulder, "After all, I have you for all the time in the world."


	3. Chapter III: Spirited Away

**Rose Gold**

AU, TezuFuji Fuji is a mysterious phantom thief with a penchant for beautiful things...too bad Detective Tezuka doesn't know that yet.

**A/N: **And again, I thought this story was going to be a lost cause, which was a shame because writing Rose Gold was really fun...I have no idea where this chapter came from, it just came to me, and I wrote it out. A little bit of a filler and setup chapter for things to come xD.

Also, I changed the 'drama' genre to 'fantasy', I think that fits a lot better for this story. Please enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter III**

**Spirited Away**

* * *

"If you're done, I've been instructed to bring you back to your room." A pair of footsteps stopped not too far away from him, a respectful distance.

Tezuka stared hard at his plate of eggs, the yolks were still raw, and pooled in the egg whites like flower blossoms. Even the Phantom's food looked beautiful. He did not want to look up—if he did, he would most certainly see a traitor's face. Tezuka knew that Yamato didn't agree with everything Atobe did, especially when he was just a spoiled brat who wielded power like he did just because he _could._

Even now, Atobe hadn't changed much, and Tezuka still continued to disagree with the police commissioner on everything he possibly could, but he couldn't believe that his former mentor had sought a different road. A road that had somehow winded him in the Phantom's servitude.

It wasn't logical, no matter how many times he turned it over in his head. Yamato had a sense of justice. He had been the one that had told Tezuka, that sometimes, "it was hard to agree with what was right, it was hard to do what was right. But that's why there are so few strong people in this world."

Yamato was far from weak. He was stronger than anyone Tezuka knew, himself included.

"Why are you here?" He found himself asking, although he knew very well it was a futile attempt.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" was the answer he received for his pains, "You should eat something." said Yamato, sounding altogether too kind, he sounded just like he used to berate Tezuka for not eating breakfast in the morning. Tezuka still never ate breakfast in the morning. He took a cup of coffee and nothing else.

"You..."

"At least have some wine."

At a party, when they had been investigating the disappearance of a young heiress, a few years ago, Yamato had handed hims a thin glass, and smiled at him.

"_Come, don't be so stubborn. You'll be odd if you don't drink." _

Perhaps he should have known something was wrong then.

"You told me to drink wine at Baron Chitose's party." Tezuka chose his words carefully as his eyes traced the creases of the white table cloth, "When we were investigating...do you remember?"

"You told me you didn't drink."

Yamato's memory was impeccable. As expected.

"And why would my answer be any different now than what it was then?" Tezuka looked at him. And for the first time, he took note of Yamato's clothes. He even wore the clothing fitting to his station, a starched white shirt, and a coat with tails.

The Yamato in Tezuka's memory hated, _hated_ bowing his head to anyone. And now, it was such a rude awakening to find that his former mentor, so prideful, so set on his sense of justice, was here, licking the boots of the most notorious phantom thief of the century.

Just like a pitiful dog.

But when Tezuka looked up at his mentor's eyes, hidden away beneath dark glasses, he found that he didn't know anything at all.

"Tezuka, Tezuka. Why must you always let logic bind you?"

It was Yamato speaking, but Phantom's voice. It was altogether possible, Tezuka decided, that the rogue thief would go so far as to work some secret sorcery so that Yamato wouldn't be himself. After all, Fuji was so apt at stealing little trinkets from everywhere, what was it to him to steal a genius mind?

"...Look, listen to me, I don't know what going on, but I think you're out of your mind."

"What do you mean?"

"You're not the Yamato I know."

Yamato looked at him, for a long moment, "Perhaps I'm not the Yamato you knew me to be. Now, come on, the Master wishes you back in your room if you have finished."

Wordlessly, Tezuka just followed.

--

"This is your bedroom."

It was not the room he had woken up in, but knowing Fuji, it was no less extravagant. There was a brass four poster bed in one corner, with fresh silken sheets. The sheets matched the dark crimson carpet. Everything was immaculate and neat. Next to the bed was a chest filled with all sorts of clothing. Yamato walked over, gesturing, as if he had to prove a point.

"This is...for me?" Tezuka said dubiously.

"Of course, Master Fuji raided several of the less popular boutiques in the square, just for you." Yamato, if anything, sounded amused. "I suppose he felt it was of the utmost importance to welcome you properly." There was a bite in his voice, a bite that didn't really suit him so well,, "...I thought you'd appreciate my contribution on the fact that you absolutely despise fuss and feathers. The Master is endlessly fond of frills and theatrics."

"I've noticed." Tezuka said blandly. "You do realize that you could be also charged with being an accomplice to a premeditated kidnapping. Atobe won't let you off easy, even if you were the most successful detective in his precinct."

"Of course I don't expect the little commissioner brat to do me any favors. Atobe and I have never been on good terms, and I certainly don't expect that to change any time in the near future." Yamato shrugged, "Besides, we didn't kidnap you really."

"You didn't kidnap me." Somehow, Tezuka couldn't keep the sarcasm in his voice from dripping, "You lured me to the Lovre, knocked me out, tied me to a bed...what do you call this, then?"

"Well, I didn't do any of these things, it was all Master Fuji." Yamato walked to the door again, and settled one hand on the brass knob. "But if you must be nitpicky like that...we also let you go, gave you clothes, served you breakfast. I'd hardly call this a kidnapping."

He could have sworn he felt a vein his forehead pop. Tezuka rubbed his temple, "What do you call it, then?" Tezuka asked again.

"Saa..." Yamato shrugged, "Fuji called it spiriting away, but then again, he is an awful romantic."

"...Oh."

"Now, come along. I've been instructed to show you the bathhouse, the Master is quite proud of it."

Tezuka followed. Yamato was quite good at taking orders while standing up straight. But then, he supposed that was only natural, all his life, he had always been a dog. First, he had answered to Atobe, and now, he gave his loyalty to Phantom, or perhaps, Phantom stole it...like he did everything else.

"Atobe's people will be looking for me." He said, as Yamato led him down a dark, winding staircase. "They'll comb the city until they find me."

"Just like they combed the city looking for me." Yamato reminded him, "You looked too, don't you remember?"

Tezuka halted.

"If Phantom doesn't want you found, you won't be." His former mentor sounded altogether much, much too smug, "Now, come along, make sure you don't trip. I always feel that these steps will be the death of me."

--

Atobe Keigo, police commissioner, was, to say the least—not happy. At all. The list of complaints ran the gamut, actually. His morning coffee was two degrees too cold, he had been roused at 5 AM in the morning, and now it was noon, and he desperately wanted a nap. Oh, and apparently, his best detective had disappeared out of thin air at the Lovre. Just like the diamond.

But Atobe knew Tezuka. Tezuka wouldn't just disappear.

But then, he also knew Yamato. Yamato couldn't have just disappeared either.

He whirled on the cowering janitor boy, Ohtori, who looked lost because Shishido wasn't there. "I told you not to let anyone in the Alexandria Room, Ohtori." He had wanted to sound sharp, and cold, and unforgiving, but Atobe only sounded tired, which he was. "Do you have a good excuse for disobeying me?"

Ohtori's face had lost all color, "But...but Tezuka came in and...said he had permission to go into the Alexandria Room."

"And who gave him that permission?"

At this, Ohtori shrank deeper into the wall, "Erm...you did? I mean...he said—he said you did."

Atobe's eyebrows rose, "Tezuka said that?"

"Yes." Ohtori whimpered, sounding very much like a drowned rat.

Atobe sighed.

Ohtori paced nervously in his corner. "And um, when Tezuka didn't come back...I went in, you know, to see if everything was all right. He was gone! Just like that, he was gone! And I found this on the floor." He held out a piece of ivory stationary. "I think it's for you."

Unceremoniously, Atobe swiped the letter from his fingers. He unfolded it, and read:

_**Dear Commissioner:**_

_**Surprised to hear from me? I bet you aren't. Nothing escapes you, doesn't it? Of course not, but then, I guess that's what makes you endlessly entertaining. I hope you haven't forgotten about our little game, commissioner, because I haven't. I did go on an unannounced hiatus, but then, I think you're beginning to miss me. So after mulling it over, I'm coming out of retirement to play.  
**_

_**I've spirited away your favorite pet. You'll never find him. (or me, now that I think about it.) Three down, only one more to go. Your precious crown will soon be no more. **_

_**...I knew there was a reason why I never became a poet. You must excuse my poor attempt at being lyrical, after all, I was never like Baudelaire.  
**_

_**Forever and always,**_

_**Phantom.**_

Atobe's eyes were unexpectedly dark as he creased the letter once, twice, three times between his fingers. The Game, at least, Phantom called it that. He had almost forgotten. How kind of the Phantom to remind him, really.

"Commissioner?" Ohtori ventured tentatively, "...Are you quite all right?"

"I'm...not sure." Atobe said, for once being perfectly honest, "But...did you call me here just to show me this?"

"Actually, Shishido-san made me call you, he said the note was important and you needed to see it and um..." Eventually, Ohtori ran out of steam under Atobe's glare and cowered some more against the wall.

"All right, I get it. Just tell Shishido it is no big deal." Atobe flicked his wrist dismissively, "Come, Kabaji."

"Usu."


End file.
